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Bihar’s Purnia and Saharsa divisions fighting losing battle against drugs

ByAditya Nath Jha
Oct 17, 2021 12:31 PM IST

On September 13, Sunny Sinha, a 22-year-old employee of a private bank, was knifed to death near his house at Barihat locality under Purnia town area of Bihar

On September 13, Sunny Sinha, a 22-year-old employee of a private bank, was knifed to death near his house at Barihat locality under Purnia town area of Bihar. He opposed drug addicts cum drug suppliers who were consuming the substance beside his house. Later, police arrested four accused - all drug peddlers cum addicts, said officials.

Image for representation. (Shutterstock)

On October 12, Deepak Kumar Thakur, a 23-year-old was allegedly stabbed several times by drug addicts cum suppliers. Later, his body was recovered from near his house at Chainpur village under Bangaon police station of Saharsa district. Police arrested three accused, all drug addicts.

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Notably, the village came into the limelight in 2018 when Sagar Kumar Jha, a resident, secured 13th rank in the UPSC exam.

The twin divisions of Purnia and Saharsa have been fighting a long battle against the drug menace.

Blame it on the porous Indo-Nepal border, lack of awareness about the repercussions of drug abuse, months’ lockdown or the lure of easy money, the youth as well as children are steadily falling prey to drug abuse and its harmful consequences.

“Smack (heroin) is the new lifestyle chemical drug craze, especially among the youth and children not only in these two divisions but in the whole state,” a senior police officer of Purnia told HT.

He said, “Day-to-day recovery of contraband and arrests of youths below 22 years of age has worried us and we are shocked to learn the number of people involved in the racket.”

Purnia superintendent of police Daya Shankar vowed to eliminate the racket after the murder of Sunny Sinha but nothing has come out of it. Police acted swiftly and arrested four of the accused, all drug addicts and drug suppliers, within a week but the racket continues to thrive.

“Special police teams have been set up to keep a watch on drug abusers and drug suppliers and our effort has started yielding results,” the officer said. He exhorted the people to cooperate with police teams.

Kamlesh Kumar Singh, station house officer of Bangaon police station in Saharsa, confirmed the drug angle behind the killing of the youth in Chainpur village. “Police will launch special drive against both drug addicts and peddlers.”

“We are unsafe as drug addicts can be seen roaming in the streets almost every time and commit petty to heinous crimes to buy smack,” Kumar Pratyush 23, a law graduate of Purnia said, adding, “Recently, my cycle was stolen from inside the premises of my rented house.” He said, “I have lodged an online complaint to district police in this regard but nothing has come out of it.”

“It is a matter of deep sorrow that our villages and towns are fast falling prey to drugs,” Saharsa-based social activist Amit Anand said and demanded a concrete and concerted drive by police and intellectuals to check drug menace. He expressed dismay over the alleged killing of the youth in Chainpur village by drug suppliers/addicts.

Anand said, “Both Purnia and Saharsa killings have the same nature and they show that drug addicts and suppliers can go to any extent to satisfy their craze for drugs.”

He hoped Sagar Sabita Devi’s mother, who won Mukhiya election this time, would do something to check the spread of drug menace in her Chainpur panchayat.

“My prime focus is to bring progress and prosperity, and without education, it is not possible. Hence, my priority will be to spread education”, she said, adding, “Through consistent awareness campaigns, this can be checked.”

Heroin, commonly known as smack, is sold in roadside shops in rural areas and youths below 25 years of age, as well as school-going, children can be seen consuming smack. “During the lockdown, when schools and colleges were closed, these children and youths fell into the grip of drugs,” a retired high school teacher of Khamgarha village in Araria, Narendra Mohan Jha, said. “It is not easy for police to bring them back on track,” he said.

Chemically, smack is diacetylmorphine, a white, odourless, bitter crystalline compound which is easily available in shops in rural areas.

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